High-Flying West Coast Adventures Tour

With its rugged natural beauty and abundant wildlife, Victoria is a natural choice for adventure seekers and nature lovers alike. Because there are so many adventures to be had in and around the capital city, this itinerary is divided into two options: a local tour which includes a whale watching trip and an exhilarating float plane ride, and a day trip to Metchosin for a high-flying zip line adventure. For the ultimate experience, combine both options for an awesome, two-day adventure travel-palooza that will have your heart pumping non-stop from start to finish.

Local Option: All-Day Ocean Adventure Tour

From Victoria's inner harbour, you have the option to explore the wonders of the ocean from many vantage points. This tour will have you experiencing the beauty and thrill of the ocean, both on the sea and in the air.

Morning: Harbour Air
What better way to start a day for adventure lovers in Victoria than with a flight high above the city in a floatplane? Victoria's Harbour Air offers a number of aerial tours for adventure seeking visitors, including Panorama and Extended Panorama flights that offers visitors spectacular views of downtown Victoria, the Strait of Juan de Fuca, and the Olympic Mountains. Contact Harbour Air in advance to book your customized tour.

Harbour Air is located at 950 Wharf Street, at the north end of the Inner Harbour (just off of Broughton Street). Street parking is available in the area, and there are also a number of pay parking lots around the Inner Harbour.

Insider's Tip: For the romantic adventurer, Harbour Air offers a special Fly ‘N Dine tour, which combines a floatplane flight with a dinner at Victoria's world-famous Butchart Gardens, out on the Saanich Penninsula. After a spectacular flight from the Inner Harbour, you'll arrive in style at Butchart Gardens' own private dock. Then, after enjoying a luxurious three-course meal and a tour of the gardens, you'll return to downtown Victoria in the back of your own private limousine.

Afternoon: Whale Watching Tour

The Juan de Fuca Strait is home to some special inhabitants; 80 Orca whales living in three separate pods call this part of the Pacific Ocean their home. Whale watching tours give you the chance to see these amazing mammals up close in their natural habitat.

A number of local companies offer whale watching tours. Prince of Whales is one of the most popular choices, and offers the largest fleet of whale watching boats on the island. Two other locally owned options are Great Pacific Adventures and Five Star Whale Watching, who also offer a variety of whale watching packages to suit every type of explorer.

With most of these companies, you can choose between whipping through the wind and waves on an open-air zodiac, or enjoying the comfort of a large ocean cruiser. Either way, you're guaranteed to enjoy some spectacular scenery, and, during peak season, you have a very high chance of spotting whales on every trip.

Both Prince of Whales and Great Pacific Adventures are based in the inner harbour, just below the Visitor Information Centre. This is only a few blocks away from the Harbour Air dock. Simply walk south down Wharf Street until you find the Visitor Information Centre. Around there, you'll find all the information you need on getting to your whale watching destination.

Just across the road, you'll find Five Star Whale Watching's office is located in front of the Fairmont Empress Hotel.

Day Trip Option: Zip Through the Trees on Adrena LINE

So you're looking for an adventure? How about flying through the air, 150 feet off the ground, at 60 kilometers per hour, zipping past trees, rocks, and wildlife? Adrena LINE offers the ultimate combo for nature lovers and thrill seekers. Enjoy spectacular views and natural wonders as you are led by professional guides through beautiful Sooke Hills, British Columbia. Throughout the tour, your guides will educate you about the area's local wildlife and ecology. Then, you will hook yourself onto a steel cable, and zip down the mountain to your next destination. The tour starts with a 10-minute ATV ride to the top of the mountain. After that, you will be taken down the mountain on a series of ziplines and suspension bridges, with a number of beautifully scenic stops along the way.

Zipline tours are $80 for adults 18 and over, and $70 for youth between the ages of 5 and 17. Adrena LINE is open daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Insider's Tip: Ever dream of spreading your wings and flying through the air under a full moon? On select evenings throughout the summer, Adrena LINE offers special full moon night zipping tours. Start times for these tours range from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. You can find specific dates for night zipping tours on their website.

Adrena LINE is located in Sooke, about 40 minutes outside of Downtown Victoria. The easiest way to get there is to use their shuttle bus service, which departs from the inner harbour at 9:00 and 11:30 a.m. Look for the bus in the parking lot between the Prince of Whales information centre and the Harbour Air seaplane terminal. This shuttle runs daily from May 1st to September 30th. After a two-hour tour, the shuttle service will have you back to downtown Victoria by 1:00 p.m. or 3:30 p.m., depending on which shuttle you take.

The drive out to Sooke is also a beautiful experience. If you plan to make the drive yourself, you can take Douglas Street heading north (with Beacon Hill Park behind you). This will turn into the Tans-Canada Highway. Follow the directions for Sooke, and you will merge onto Veterans Memorial Parkway, and then Sooke Road. Follow Sooke road until you see the 17-Mile House Pub, and Adrena LINE will be just past the pub.

You can also take public transport from downtown Victoria. On Douglas Street, wait for the number 61 (Sooke) bus. This bus will take you on a one-hour journey out to Sooke Hills. Get off when you see the 17-Mile House Pub, and you'll find the entrance to Adrena LINE.

Join our A-list and keep in touch.

subscribe

Get the insider's scoop to exclusive events, local discounts, coming events!